The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-08-12
THE NEWSPAPERS AND THE
BOODLERS.

The attorneys for the Chicago anarch-
lists and boodlers have had great deal
to say against the newspapers, claiming
that the latter have created such a strong
public sentiment against their clients
that 1t has been impossible for them to
secure fair trial. This view of the
case is both unfair and untrue. In the
cause Of the anarchists it will be remem-
bered that the newspapers were at pains
to present all the testimony and espec-
tally were the statements of the accused
and their addresses given great publici-
ty. This gave the public much better
conception of the case than they could
possibly otherwise have obtained. II
public sentiment was thus aroused
against the accused men it was from
what they did and said themselves.
In speaking of this matter in connec-
ton with the trial of the boodlers, the
Chicago Inter Ocean shows that the news
papers began their work against that
gang years ago, and it took much hard
work before the public could be aroused
to the point of demanding that the men
who made a profession of bribery and
corruption be tried and punished. At
last, however the public sentiment was
formed and the demand for punishment
came. This much the newspapers did.
They did not, however, proceed to try
any of the suspected men. They made
an investigation and presented facts
which compelled the attention of the
authorities. In this work they met or
ganized and determined resistance.
Their statements were declared to be
sensational and highly colored, but time
has indicated the reliability of their
publications. No man was prosecuted
or pursued unless there was good ground
for it. The newspapers dealt in facts
and not in extravagant or exaggerated
statements.
They should receive credit for the
formation of the sentiment which led
to the conviction eff the guilty men
instead of being arraigned on charge
of seeking to procure the punishment Of
innocent men or of preventinga fail
trial to any of the accused. The Inter.
Ocean further says:
The effect ofthe trial, of the exposures
of the conviction and punishment of the
offenders will be far-reaching not only
because ten or twelve men have beer
overtaken in their crimes, but because
the newspapers have demonstrated theil
power to expose wrong and because il
has been demonstrated that jurles and
courts will do their duty. The convic
ton of the indicted boodlers is in itseli
enough to make boodling odious, but il
addition to this is the publicity given tc
hundreds of things holding only an Incl
dental relation to the offenses for which
the boodlers were convicted. Every
man who has been persuaded to believe
that fraud against the public, that brib
cry, and that conspiracy to rob the pub
licRre not crimes has received public
notice that such is not the case. Every
man who has had any connection with
the frauds practiced upon the county
knows that the facts are within the
reach of the newspaper, and the public
has learned that when the press of 8
city are united in movement against &
i ring or a gang that tho cotton 10 bo,vtl on
the possession of facts, and not on hos
tihty to person or opposition to party.